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<title>The Enemy of My Enemy by FleetSparrow</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27909856">The Enemy of My Enemy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleetSparrow/pseuds/FleetSparrow'>FleetSparrow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aftermath of Torture, F/F, Wound Cleaning</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:48:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>906</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27909856</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleetSparrow/pseuds/FleetSparrow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Theta captures and tortures Agents Blue and 23, but they escape with a little help from another rival spy.</p>
<p>This is the aftermath of those events.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Spy/Spy From Different Organization</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Torture Flash Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Enemy of My Enemy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They had never signed up to be safe.</p>
<p>This is what Agent 23 tells themself as they haul Agent Blue back to their safe house.  Nobody signs up for this job for the safety or security of a desk.  At least, nobody in their field.  Desks were for retirees and holdouts, the ones who’d never go out again.</p>
<p>Then again, after what happened to Blue, maybe a desk wouldn’t be the worst thing.</p>
<p>
  <em>Theta had captured them.  23 had prepared to take the brunt of the torture.  They were Theta’s main target; Blue had just been a bonus.  Then Blue insulted Theta, called him weak, useless, an outdated model used for throwaway missions, and Theta’s ire turned towards her.</em>
</p>
<p>23 can still hear Blue’s screams echo in their head.</p>
<p>They’re both almost to the safe house when Blue begins to stir.  23 doesn’t need her to wake up yet, not until they’re inside.  Not until they’re in no more danger.</p>
<p>
  <em>Theta had been ready to end Blue when his head exploded.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A second shot sliced through the rope holding 23’s arms above their head.  Only one person could shoot like that:  Agent V.</em>
</p>
<p>That was one reunion of spies 23 would never forget, although they’d do their damnedest.</p>
<p>“The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy,” 23 muttered, finally reaching the safe house.  It wouldn’t be secure if V was still following them, but as long as it remained safe, 23 could patch up Blue as best they could.</p>
<p>Safe house secured.  23 set Blue down on the small bed and fetched the medical supplies.  No time to rest.  Not yet.  Too many spies in this city.  It was too small, anyway.  A stupid mission, to come out here.  Their bosses would be hearing about this, hopefully from them first.</p>
<p>Blue whimpered and 23 snapped back to the present.  No rest!  No zoning out, either.  Rescue missions first.</p>
<p>23 started tending to Blue, gently cleaning the gore from her limbs and torso.  They rubbed a quick topical painkiller on the skin around her wounds before suturing them shut.</p>
<p>That’s when Blue woke up.</p>
<p>Her eyes were wild as she tried to escape what she must have imagined was still torture.  23 held her shoulders down on the bed, trying to keep her still.</p>
<p>“You’re safe here,” 23 said.  “Theta is dead.  You’re safe.”</p>
<p>Blue’s panicked expression slowly faded as she stared into 23’s eyes.  “Where--  You’re….”</p>
<p>“It’s all right,” 23 said.  “You’re safe.”</p>
<p>Blue whined but settled down.  Once they were sure Blue had really calmed down, 23 went back to her wounds.</p>
<p>“Have you ever been tortured before?” they asked.</p>
<p>Blue shook her head slightly.</p>
<p>“I didn’t think so.”  They finished up one set of stitches and moved on to another.  “Never sacrifice yourself for another agent.”</p>
<p>“He would have hurt you worse,” Blue said.</p>
<p>23 frowned, sewing her up in silence.  “That’s still not a good idea,” they said finally.</p>
<p>Blue touched their hand.  “What’s your name?”</p>
<p>“That’s not a good idea, either.”</p>
<p>“I’m Beth.”</p>
<p>23 inhaled sharply.  Don’t get personal.  Spies only betray.  She’d do it if she were their in place.</p>
<p>“Nora.”</p>
<p>“Is that your real name?” Blue asked.</p>
<p>“No,” 23 said.  “But it’s good enough.”</p>
<p>Blue squeezed their hand and leaned up, planting a quick kiss on their lips.</p>
<p>It wasn’t some sort of world-shattering kiss.  It wasn’t particularly bad, either.  Yet, 23 wanted to do it again.</p>
<p>They’d been a spy for so long now, it hardly seemed worthwhile to get involved with anyone.  Blue was so young, well-trained, but inexperienced, not yet inured to the hardships and the trauma of this spy life.</p>
<p>But the way she looked at them….</p>
<p>“Lie back,” 23 said.  “I’m not finished yet.”</p>
<p>Blue settled back down and 23 got back to work.  Blue had a long recovery ahead of her.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Beth sighed, hobbling her way out of the main office.  Desk work was boring compared to being out in the field but -- and she thanked whatever powers that be -- it was only temporary.  She was getting stronger again every day, her wounds slowly healing.  They didn’t quite believe her when she said she’d been rescued by an enemy agent; it was her first time being tortured and she was clearly in mental anguish, confusing the events as they’d happened.</p>
<p>Oh well.  She knew what had really happened to her.</p>
<p>It was raining again.  Darn.  Of all the days she’d chosen to walk.  And without her umbrella, too.</p>
<p>Bracing herself for the cold and damp that would surely make her hurt again, Beth left the building.</p>
<p>“Your ride, Miss,” said someone leaning out of a car as she passed by.</p>
<p>“No, thank you.”</p>
<p>“I insist, Miss,” said the driver.  “Pretty thing like you could go blue of cold.”</p>
<p>Beth froze.  That was too odd of an expression.</p>
<p>The driver had a fedora low over their brow.  The hat had the maker’s measurement in its band still:  23.</p>
<p>Beth smiled, ignoring the way the rain was coming down on her.  The car door opened for her, and she climbed in.</p>
<p>“Hello, Nora,” she said, once the windows were closed.</p>
<p>“Beth,” Nora said in greeting.  “Can I take you someplace warm?”</p>
<p>“Your place?”</p>
<p>Nora blinked, then smiled.  “My place, then.”</p>
<p>As they drove off, Beth took their hand.  The spy world was really too small to not have some friends among them.  Or something more.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I had a lot of fun coming up with the different code names for each organization.  I hope you enjoyed!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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